UEFA Archives - SNN Sports

Everything Rangers supporters need to know about Europa League opponents Jagiellonia Białystok

Rangers face Jagiellonia Białystok in the Europa League third qualifying phase. Here is everything you need to know about the Polish side. Jagiellonia Białystok, who play in the Ekstraklasa league in Poland, finished third out of 16 teams last season, granting them a place in the third qualifying stage of the Europa League. Jagiellonia are ranked 86th in the UEFA club coefficient rankings. Their top scorer last season Afimico Pululu left the club earlier in the summer following the expiration of his contract. But Spanish veteran, Jesus Imaz scored 18 times last campaign. They get back to league action on Saturday, giving them two competitive matches before they host Rangers at the Chorten Arena on the 6th of August. The Chorten Arena hosts just over 22,000 people. However, it is well-known for its hostile atmosphere. Jagiellonia have only lost twice at home in Europe over the past two seasons. The club’s most successful season came in the 2023/24 campaign, when they won the Ekstraklasa for the first time. The Polish side have advanced to the later stages in the Europa Conference League in the last two seasons. In 2025 they progressed all the way to the Quarter-Finals, where they were knocked out by Spanish side Real Betis. Last year however, they were dispatched by Fiorentina in the knock-out play off stages. It’s a fair journey for Derek McIness’ men, with Białystok being approximately 1500 miles from Glasgow. It’s also around a two-hour coach trip from the capital city Warsaw, where most supporters and the team will likely travel too. The match is over two-legs, with the second-leg being played at Ibrox the following Thursday.

July 20, 2026

FIFA Unveils Officiating Team for “Historic” 2026 World Cup

FIFA has officially announced the match officials for the 2026 World Cup, ready for the unprecendted scale of the upcoming 48-team tournament. A total of 170 officials, including 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video match officials, have been selected from all six global confederations. The selection follows a three-year scouting process centred on a quality-first principle. With the tournament expanding to 104 matches across three host nations, FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina emphasised the need for the expanded squad, which features 41 more officials from Qatar 2022. “The selected match officials are the very best in the world,” Collina stated. “Our goal is to ensure they are in optimal physical and mental condition when they arrive.” The roster also confirms a continued commitment to diversity, with six female officials selected to officiate the men’s event. In a move set to improve the viewing experience, FIFA will introduce AI-powered body cameras. This technology will allow fans to see the game from the referee’s perspective, with software used to ensure a smooth broadcast. Officials will also be tasked with enforcing new IFAB mandates to increase match tempo and significantly reduce time-wasting. The officiating squad will meet in Miami on May 31 for a ten-day camp. While the on-field officials will remain based in Florida, the VAR team will move to the International Broadcast Centre in Dallas. Massimo Busacca, FIFA’s Director of Refereeing, added to Collina’s comments, stating, “All candidates have been closely evaluated by instructors and medical staff to ensure they achieve the highest possible standards for this groundbreaking competition,”.

April 9, 2026